Letters: Jul. 30, 1928

Tom Tom Tom Tom Sirs:

"The TOM of the tom-tom" (TIME, current issue). The scrivener runs riot, tom-tomming all over his paragraph. Let a protest be noted. Peeping TOMS, TOMboys, Blind TOMS, TOM-tits, TOMcats, TOMcods, TOM turkeys, Long TOMS, the TOM of the tom-toms as words, should be axed. Why should a noble name be subject to veiled insult and subtle abuse? Sir, in the game of Gleek the knave of trumps is called TOM! An oyster's liver is sneeringly called a TOMalley! Why not Peter for the Peepers, Terry for the little girls...

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